


Flower Shop

by Astro_Dragon04



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 11:22:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15750657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astro_Dragon04/pseuds/Astro_Dragon04





	Flower Shop

 

The day had been normal before he burst into the flower shop. The _week_ had been normal before he burst into the flower shop. Hell, the last month had been normal before the guy with the mullet burst into the flower shop.

Lance had been tending to the roses when the guy rushed in. Lance was confused, because for the most part, customers at the local florist were quite calm. But no, this dude was _way_ different.

“What flower combination would I have to buy that would mean ‘fuck you’?” He asked, running up to Lance, a fierce look in his eyes.

“Umm-excuse me?” Lance stuttered. The guy now was grabbing Lance’s shoulders, making Lance unsteady and confused.

“I said, what combination of flowers would I use to say-”

"Yeah I got it." Lance cut him off.

Lance watched the guy for a moment longer, noticing little details. He had purple eyes. The purple kind that were just so aesthetic, Lance saw them sometimes on mood boards on the internet. Under the eyes, however, it wasn't so nice looking. The guy had enormous dark icicles under his eyes, like he never slept. He had a mullet. When Lance thought he was already appalled by the guy, there was another reason to be. He had a light layer of freckles, only noticeable if you looked closely. Lance loved looking closely at everything. Intricate details were his specialty, and one of the reasons he was running a flower shop was  _because_ he loved unique things. 

The guy's expression turned to confusion, Lance realizing that he was spacing out.

“Uh- well, sir, orange lilies are for hatred,” Lance stammered, backing up and  leading the man to the selected flowers, picking out a few. “Yellow carnations, for disappointment,” Lance led the man over to the yellow flowers. “And, geraniums for stupidity.” Lance picked out the flowers and arranged them in a bouquet. He looked up at the guy again. “What’s your name?”

“Keith.” He grunted.

“Okay, Keith. Can I ask why you’re using flower language to passive-aggressively say uh, 'F' you?”

“I just bought my own apartment after I figured out my parents were homophobic, so I’m leaving this as a nice parting gift.”

“Okay then.” Lance muttered, wrapping the bouquet with ribbon. “Well, that’ll be fifteen.” He looked up to see Keith rummaging through his pockets.

“Shit- I only brought ten!” He muttered. Lance sighed. Something about this guy intrigued Lance.

“It’s alright.” He sighed. “I’ll put the rest on the house.”

"Huh?" Keith asked. "Seriously?" A sad thought passed through Lance's head.  _why was he so surprised by the kindness?_ was he not normally treated with kindness?

“On one condition. If- you visit me.” Lance added. What was he thinking? It just slipped out of his mouth! Keith gave him a weird look, but nodded and put the bill on the counter. Lance handed the bouquet to the guy.

“See you around then, I guess.” Keith murmured, glancing at Lance’s name tag. “Lance.” Lance made finger guns. _How dumb looking could he get?_

“See ya mullet.” Lance said, groaning to himself when Keith was out of the door. He slapped his forehead. _Mullet??? Seriously Lance???_ He looked up to make sure nobody was watching. Thankfully, he was alone.

 

Lance was genuinely surprised when Keith came back. _I thought i had scared the guy off_ he thought to himself.

“So, why did you want me to come back again?” Keith asked. It had been about a week and a half since the ‘parent's parting gift' episode.

“I- uh…” Lance stumbled over his words. Keith’s attention turned to the flowers, he examined them quietly, listening for Lance’s answer.

“It’s just a little weird, y’know?” Keith muttered.

“Yeah, well, I guess I’m a little weird.” Lance replied quietly. He  was very good at self deprecating comments. He watched Keith who hadn’t looked up.

“So uh, you moved?” Lance asked, after a while, knowing it was none of his business. He was digging himself deeper and deeper into his own grave.

“Yeah. Not that exciting. I don’t have much stuff, or many friends- but I moved in with one. It was basically just to get away from my parents.” Keith looked agitated, his purple eyes containing some sort of steel Lance couldn’t read.

The moment of silence hung in the air, as mixed and heavy as the scent of all the flowers. Lance looked at the flowers Keith was examining.

“Forget me nots.” He commented.

“Huh?”

“The flower.” Lance walked out from behind the counter. “The ones you're looking at. They’re called forget me nots.”

“Do they have a meaning?” Keith asked, Lance scoffed.

“All flowers have a meaning! Forget me nots are for-” He paused. “True love…” Lance’s face seemed hot, but maybe it was the warm muggy air the flower shop produced. Keith looked up at lance, giving him a smirk.

“Interesting.”

“Uh- yeah. But I mean, lot’s of flowers stand for love and shit… Not just the particular ones you’re looking at…” Lance trailed off, his mind becoming more and more mixed.

“Right.” Keith said, drawing out the word. “Anyways, do you need help or something? Is that why you wanted me back here?”

“Uh, nope. I didn’t need any help.” Lance stammered.

“Then let’s go find something to eat. There’s a cafe somewhere by here.” Keith said abruptly, straightening up.

“Huh?” Lance asked, confused. “Leave?”

“Yeah, do you need to wait until your shift is over or something?”

“Um, no.” Lance said, wringing his hands. “The shop is mine it’s just-”

“Then put the ‘closed’ sign up. Take a lunch break.”

“Uh… okay.” lance said uncertainty, confused. He wanted to know why this stranger (not really stranger if you count the fuck you flowers) was taking him to a cafe.

Lance followed Keith anyways, putting up the closed sign. The air outside was slightly brisk, the fall air filling the atmosphere. Lance walked next to Keith, wondering what was going through the guy’s head.

“So, have you been to the cafe?” Lance asked, eager to make a conversation.

“Uh, yeah. I have. It was a while ago, but I have a lot of good memories there.”

“Good memories?”

“It was where I took my last boyfriend…” Keith trailed off, Lance sensing a story behind the words, but not intending to pry. Keith’s last boyfriend might as well be dead, and Lance wasn’t eager to see Keith cry, or slap him. Keith was hard to read, and clearly, a little unstable.

“Oh.”

“But I’m no longer with him.” Keith continued. “So, don’t worry.” Why would Lance worry? It wasn’t like Keith was attractive even with his mullet, and Lance kinda wanted to kiss the guy… wait a second. _Where were these thoughts coming from?_

 

Keith led Lance to a table on the patio, sitting down with his hands together, fingers laced between each other. Lance watched the cars move down the road for a while awkwardly. A waiter walked briskly up to the table.

“Ah, good afternoon, Keith. What can I get you gentlemen?” He asked. Lance looked up and almost choked at the waiter’s appearance. The man had a bright orange mustache, and bright orange hair to match. It was otherworldly, in Lance’s opinion.

“Hey Coran. A coffee please,” Keith said. “Black,” and then added under his breath, “Like my soul.” Lance snorted.

“And for you?” The man asked, giving Lance an odd expression.

“Chai latte?” Lance asked. The man nodded, his mustache bobbing. Lance resisted the urge to laugh again. As the waiter walked away, Lance looked back over at Keith. Keith was now the one watching the road. His hair rustled in the wind, his mullet looking… genuinely okay. Lance didn’t think it was quite possible for a mullet to look decent on a person, but then again, that was before he had met Keith.

Keith looked back at Lance, who realized he had been staring.

"You know him?" Lance asked, trying to make conversation.

"Yep. Practically family." Keith answered, not looking away from the road. 

An awkward moment passed between them.

“So…” Keith started, raising an eyebrow. “I was thinking, maybe I could work at your flower shop?”

“Uh, okay. Why?”

“I need a job, and well, I guess we kinda know each other now.”

“True.” Lance said. “Does that make this an interview?”

“Do I need to be interviewed?” Keith asked.

“I- I guess? Maybe? I don’t know.”

“You run a flower shop and don’t know if you should interview your workers first?”

“I’ve never had any workers, thank you very much!” Lance defended. 

The waiter came back with the drinks, setting them in front of the boys.

“Do you two want anything for lunch, or do you just want to keep yelling at each other?” Lance looked up to see that everyone else sitting on the patio was watching the pair of them. Coran smiled, making the words a little less harsh. Keith coughed, clearing his throat.

“Uh, we’ll take them to go.” He said, and then added, "And could I have a peanut sandwich?" his hand scratching the back of his head. Coran nodded, rushing off to fetch the sandwich and bill, obviously eager for the two to leave. Lance looked back to Keith.

“You’re hired, no interview. I could use the help.”

“Great.” Keith said, taking a sip of his coffee. He gagged a little.

“Is black coffee too much for your black soul?” Lance teased.

“Nope.” Keith said coolly. “Just hot.”

 _Like you_. Lance wanted to say, but he held his tongue. But, unlike what Keith said, he added milk before they left.

 

Lance sipped his chai, following Keith, back down the street. 

"Back to the shop?" Keith asked, turning. 

"Uh, yeah." Lance muttered. Keith took a bite of his sandwich, smearing peanut butter on his chin. 

Keith walked next to Lance, and Lance seemed oddly unsteady. He didn't consider himself a klutz, but for the amount of times he tripped over his own feet, he might as well wear a "Hello my name is Klutz" sticker. 

When the two arrived at the shop, Lance was surprised to see someone standing outside the door, examining the sign.

"Oh hey, Romelle!" Lance called out. The blonde woman turned and beamed. 

"Hey Lance! Out for a lunch break, I see?" She eyed Keith with a funny expression. Lance sensing Keith tense up. 

"Yeah, an unusual treat." lance replied, unlocking the door. He let Romelle and Keith in,  and immediately, Romelle walked to a pot of hibiscus, and promptly put it on the counter. Lance laughed, and after paying Romelle left with a small wave. 

"See ya 'round, Lance." 

 

No other customers appeared that afternoon, giving Lance the chance to train Keith for the job. 

"Not much to it, you can man the cash register if you want, and I'll help with the actual plants." Lance said.

"Sounds good. I've worked enough at McDonald's to know how to work a cash register."  

"This one's older than most." Lance commented. "Like, really, really, really-"

"Okay, geez! Show me how to work the damn thing!" Lance laughed at Keith's frustration. 

 

Once the clock hit 5, Lance was eager to get out of the shop. Mostly because of what Keith had offered. 

"Hey, Do you want to meet back here by 6?" 

"Sure. Why?"

"It's a surprise." Keith's tone intrigued Lance. It almost scared him, but freaked or not, Lance wound up at the shop's door by 6. 

 

Keith appeared around the corner, and Lance waved. He caught up to the mysterious boy and they began to walk, back where Keith had come from. 

“Where are we going now?” Lance asked, somewhat casually.

“It’s a surprise” Keith said smugly.

“Should I be following someone I met only because they wanted a bouquet of flowers to say 'F' you to their parents? Not to mention I just met you?” Keith laughed at Lance's uncertainty.

“Trust me, flower boy.”

“Fine then, mullet.”  Lance said, and for some strange reason, he _did_ trust Keith. After a while of walking, Lance tried to pick up the conversation.

“So, is this like, our first date?” _what the hell, Lance?_ He thought. 

“If you want it to, then I guess.” Keith answered, poker faced. _How the hell was this guy so calm?_ Lance could only think.

“Okay. So then, we’re dating?"

“Sure, I’m up for that.” Keith said with a smirk. Lance couldn’t handle it.  

“How the actual hell can you be like that?!” He asked, stopping in his tracks. Keith looked over.

“Like what?” Keith asked innocently, obviously knowing exactly what.

“How can you be so calm, saying that ‘sure we’re dating’ even though we barely met?”

“Is that not how it works?” Keith asked, his head tilting, the smirk widening. Lance’s face went hot.

“Well I mean- I don’t know-” Lance buried his face in his hands, trying to cool the burning and flipping the hood of his jacket up over his head.

“Lance, can we keep walking? We’re almost there.”

“Almost where?” Lance asked through his fingers, his words muffled.

“My apartment.”

“The new one?”

“The only one, Dummy.”

“Right.” Lance hadn’t taken his face from his hands, Forcing Keith to lead him on the sidewalk. After a while of walking, Keith stopped. Lance looked up.

“This is your apartment building”

“Yeah. Nice, am I right?” In complete honesty, the building was a mess. Graffiti covered one wall, and the glass on the door was scratched and chipped. Trash littered the alley next the the building, and the brick was pockmarked and bruised.

“Nice isn’t the first word that comes to mind.” Lance murmured.

“Oh well. Let’s go inside.” Keith said airily. He led Lance into the building, holding onto one of his arms. A few flights of stairs later, Lance was at the door. Keith unlocked it, and Lance was surprised to see a guy on the couch.

“Hey Shiro” Keith called. The guy turned, Lance immediately noticing the scar over his nose, and the white tuft of hair that fell over it.

“So, is this the cute florist you mentioned?” Shiro asked, Lance looking down seeing his working apron was still on.

“Sure is.” Keith replied.

“Nice to meet you, Lance.” Shiro said, looking pointedly at Lance, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Uh- hi.” Lance said, flustered. Shiro’s smile grew and his eyes crinkled.

“You’re right Keith.” He said. “He’s quite cute.”

“Geez, Shiro. Go find Adam. Hands off Lance, you pedo-.” Keith laughed.

“Yeah, yeah. I was just about to pick him up after work anyways.” Shiro said cutting Keith off and standing up. He passed the two boys and walked to the door. “Have fun” He said, closing the door behind him, a smirk Lance recognized on Keith playing on his face. Lance wrung his hands, now alone with Keith. 

“So…” Keith said, glancing sideways at Lance. “Thoughts on a movie?”

“Sounds good.” Lance mumbled. Keith led him to the couch, and Lance sat as if he were back at school, waiting at the principal’s office.

“You can relax, y’know.” Keith said, looking up from his phone. “I found some movies that are playing at a close by theater.”

“We’re going to a theater?”

“Unless you want to watch the Disney shit Shiro has in the cabinet, yeah. We’re going to a theater.” Keith looked back at his phone. “Alright. Found one.” He put his phone away, and offered a hand down to Lance, helping him off the couch.

He led Lance to the door, not letting go.

 

Keith had a motorcycle. It was red, which was a color that suited him. He called it his ‘lion’. Lance rode behind Keith, his arms wrapped around the guy’s waist. Lance watched Keith's hair flowing and flapping around and it peeked under his helmet. Lance found the movement oddly mesmerizing.

 

Lance had no clue what movie he was about to see. Keith had ordered tickets in advance, and refused to tell him.

To Lance’s dismay, it was a horror movie.

“Not good with horror, flower boy?” Keith teased. Lance shook his head.

“Not at all.”

 

The seats Keith had chosen were in the very back. Lance walked up the steps to the seats, feeling like he was walking up to the guillotine. He absolutely despised horror movies, but it made sense that was what Keith chose. Keith just seemed like the guy who liked horror movies.

The movie started, and by the first jump scare, lance was curled up, not watching the screen. Instead he watched Keith. When Keith looked over, he smiled softly. _Scared?_ He mouthed. Lance nodded. Keith lifted the armrest. _It could do that?_ And offered an arm. Lance scooted over, and he stiffly rested on Keith. Keith put his arm around Lance.

Lance tried to ignore the screams coming from the movie, flinching at each one. Somewhere in the middle though, his eyes closed.

Once the movie was over, Lance looked up groggily at Keith, realizing the guy had been watching him. Oddly enough, halfway through the movie Lance had dozed off. It was just so comfortable next to Keith. Lance smiled, making Keith smile. The moment lasted until something hit Lance in the back of the head. He sat up, looking around. A man was watching them, flipping them two birds.

“Fuck you!” He yelled, people staring. Keith sat up, and was on his feet in an instant.

“Excuse me?” He asked with a cold, deadly calm.

“Faggots!” The man yelled. Keith started to rush towards the man.

“Keith- wait- he’s just an asshole”Lance started. Keith turned around, his viciousness showing.

“I don’t care about assholes, but he threw something at you. I won’t ignore physical abuse.” Keith turned back to the man.

“What’re you gonna do, fag?” The man asked, taunting Keith and flipping him off again.

“Sir, would you not throw stuff at me and my boyfriend? We’re just here to enjoy the movie, and we aren’t doing anything wrong.”  _boyfriend._ the word stuck in Lance's mind. 

“Wrong. You two are disrupting the theater.”

“Uh, sir, we’re really doing nothing. You’re the one who’s yelling and being rude, which makes you stupid and hypocritical.” Keith replied, somewhere between a smirk and a scowl dancing on his lips.

Lance stood up and walked next to Keith.

“Hey- it’s okay.” He started.

“No it’s not.” Keith said, glancing at Lance. “This homophobic as-” The man threw a drink, hitting Keith in the jaw. The drink’s lid flew off, spilling soda all over Keith. Lance watched in shock as Keith’s shirt soaked up soda.

“Okay. That’s it.” Lance spat. He gently pushed Keith behind him, and walked up to the man. “You need to take your homophobic ass out of this theater, or I’ll do it for you.” The man flipped Lance off for the third time. “Fine then.” Lance said under his breath. And then he threw a punch that hit the man square in the nose.

Someone in the theater screamed. Lance didn’t know what happened after the punch, but he found himself on the ground, his own nose bleeding. Something hit him in the gut. A fist? A foot? The man was now kicking Lance, blood dribbling down both their faces. Keith yelled at the man, and for help, looking ready to throw the man down the stairs. Someone pulled the man away from Lance, but not before Lance got kicked in the head, knocking him out.

Keith frantically tapped at his phone. He held Lance’s head in his lap, cradling him in his arms, close to tears. Why had he not intervened? He had let that man hurt Lance. His voice shook as he spoke into the receiver.

“Hello? 911, what’s your emergency?” the voice on the other end asked. Keith looked down at Lance. His head was bleeding profusely. No doubt this wasn’t an emergency.

“Hello?” The voice spoke again. Keith was snapped back to reality.

“Hi, my boy- friend. My friend was just beat really hard, and he’s bleeding from his head, and it looks really, really bad.”

“What’s your location, sir?”

 

After calling 911, Keith dialed for Shiro.

“What’s up lover boy?” the familiar voice teased.

“Shiro, please, I need your help.” Keith’s voice was frantic enough that Shiro immediately went serious.

“What is it Keith? Are you okay?”

“Lance and I had an encounter with a violent homophobe, and the guy hurt Lance. Really _really_ bad.”

“Are you going to the ER?”

“I just called 911”

“Call me when you two get there. I’ll tell Adam and we’ll be on our way.”

“Okay.” Keith said, and he hung up. A theater worker walked up to Keith.

“Uh, I think the ambulance just arrived” Keith’s ears perked up and he could hear the sirens.

“Lead them here please” Keith said, his eyes stinging. Lance was still unconscious, and blood was leaking out of the side of his head, and his nose. A second worker walked up to Keith, offering some napkins, probably from the refreshment stand. Keith took them and used them to mop up some of the blood and apply pressure to the wound. Before Keith knew it, Lance was taken from him, and laid onto a gurney. Keith followed the paramedics, shaken as he tried to retell the story to one of the nurses.

“Can you tell me your name and his? Full names, please.”

“Uh, My name is Keith Kogane, and that’s-” Keith realized he had no clue what lance’s last name was. “Lance.”

“What’s his last name?” She asked

“I-” He paused. “I don’t really know.”

“Ah, I see.”

 

Keith watched the paramedics loaded Lance into the ambulance. He sat next to Lance, watching the paramedics check his vitals. Keith felt like everything was coming apart at the seams. His head spun. Horrible thoughts swirled in his mind, one specifically reappearing.

_He couldn’t lose another._

 

_Keith sat next to the hospital bed, watching his unmoving boyfriend. There had been a car accident, and keith had been called to come immediately._

_The lady on the phone warned him it might be his last chance to see his boyfriend. To Keith’s disappointment, it was._

_His boyfriend had died a while later, Keith crying profusely into the blankets on the bed._

 

The flashback caught Keith off guard, making his heart ache. That had been a year ago. When he was finally ready to open his heart again this happened…


End file.
